Old Friends and New Enemies
by Kayla2
Summary: Takes place around Christmas 2009. Alexis finds she has much in common with an unexpected friend...including a mutual attraction. My first JoLexis story featuring Sexis friendship. As this is unchartered territory for me, replies are appreciated
1. Chapter 1

Happy Holidays Everyone. So, I decided to try a new Alexis pairing. Hope you like it. Just FYI, although I like Olivia, she and Sonny have irritated me with the flip flopping. I'm just warning you because I may not be completely fair to them in the story. Anyhow, here's a glimpse of whom I'd like to see Alexis kissing under the mistletoe.

**Chapter 1 – Mistletoe Kisses**

Two days before Christmas and Alexis was finished shopping for all of the presents she intended to buy. For Molly, she'd bought the new digital camera she'd been asking for over the last several weeks. Kristina's gift was an iPhone. For Sam, she'd considered a bail bond card as she was always terrified that Jason would get her daughter arrested; instead, she'd settled on giving Sam her Aunt Kristina's necklace. She knew Sam would appreciate the sentimentality of the gift For Sonny, she'd purchased top of the line cookware from the girls, which was guaranteed to return an invitation for an absolutely fabulous meal. And for Mac, she bought a necktie. True it was a boring gift, but the truth was Mac was a little…

"Earth to Alexis," Diane's voice interrupted Alexis's thoughts.

"Hmm," Alexis refocused her attention on Diane. "Were you saying something?"

"I was thanking my wonderful best friend for my perfect Christmas present. A spa day…I wish I could say you shouldn't have, but you absolutely should have." Diane chuckled. She wondered what was wrong with her friend. She'd hoped she hadn't infringed on an evening Alexis previously planned to spend with Mac when she invited her for a drink at the Metro Court. "Is everything okay? Did you have plans with Mac?"

"Everything's fine and honestly I couldn't handle another Karaoke Night at Jake's." She knew it sounded snooty, but truth be told she was more of a Metro Court kind of woman. While jeans and an occasional beer were fine, she would always prefer a glass of Chardonnay and a soothing piano melody to the chaos at Jake's.

"Uh oh."

"What do you mean, uh oh?"

"Just what I said, "uh oh." It looks like you've figured out what I already knew. I was hoping you'd at least have a little fun first."

"And what have you figured out?"

"Only that Mac's not your type."

Although she knew Diane was right, she hated to admit it. Mac Scorpio was a good man. He'd raised three girls, none of which were biologically his. He was kind, gentle and upstanding with a nice, stable job. "That's not true. Mac and I have a lot in common."

"You're bored out of your mind." Diane cut her off. Whether or not her friend wanted to admit it, she had a thing for bad boys. "And this is supposed to be the exciting part."

"Diane!!!" As she objected, Alexis's voice rose higher than she intended.

Just then Kate Howard, the third of the three musketeers, arrived at their table. The women exchanged pleasantries. And Kate launched into the details of a wonderful evening she'd shared with Coleman the night before.

During the course of Kate's story, Alexis began to focus her attention on the handsome, younger man who'd just taken a seat at the piano. Although she didn't know him, she'd been around Sonny's enough to recognize him. He was Johnny Zacchara. And by the way he was pouring his heart out in song, Sonny had once more worked his charms and gotten whichever woman he wanted; this time it was Olivia, Johnny's girlfriend.

Johnny wasn't sure what led him to the piano at the Metro Court, but playing always helped him tune out the thoughts that were in his mind. Tonight, he had plenty of them. Yesterday, he'd uncovered a bombshell. Not only was Dominic Perelli really Detective Dante Falconeri, which he'd known for months, but he was also Sonny's son. Worse yet, when he confronted Olivia, the woman who was supposed to love _him_, she admitted it was true that Dante was Sonny's son. She also admitted she never stopped loving Sonny. After months of Olivia's indecision, they'd finally agreed to part ways. Now, there were only two things he knew for sure: 1) for all of her craziness, he missed Claudia, his now-deceased sister and 2) he hated Sonny Corinthos because Sonny was the reason he was completely alone.

As Alexis continued to watch Johnny Zacchara, she noticed Diane and Kate were noticeably silent and were now staring at her. "What!"

"This is interesting." Diane tapped her finger at her lip before dramatically turning toward Kate. "Kate, what do you think of the idea of Mac and Alexis…honestly?"

"Honestly? It'll never work. Alexis will be bored before Valentine's day."

"Kate, that's not true…" Alexis lied. Silently, she wondered what was wrong with her. Why couldn't she allow herself to fall a genuinely nice guy?

"Oh honey," Kate patted Alexis's hand, "there's nothing wrong with needing to take a walk on the wild side. We three are highly successful, tightly-wound, beautiful, intelligent women who need to be with someone who understands the intensity with which we approach everything."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alexis had no idea what Kate was rambling about.

"You need a younger man." Diane offered.

"Or at least a bad boy with redeemable qualities." Kate added. "You know, someone to bring out your wild side.

"No thanks, done the younger man and the bad boy. I'll pass."

Diane crossed her arms in front of herself. "If by younger man you're referring Ric, your certifiable ex-husband, he doesn't count. I think Kate and I were both operating under the assumption that this time sanity would be non-negotiable."

Kate chimed in, "And as for bad boys, Alexis, you and I both know that while Sonny has many very impressive qualities, redeemable is one thing he is not."

"Are the two of you forgetting that I have two young daughters for whom I need to set a good example, particularly because both of their fathers are involved in the mob and their sister is dating a mob enforcer." Once more, her attention turned to Johnny singing at the piano.

"Uh-huh," Diane looked past Alexis to Kate. "We're your friends, we know what you like and we only want what's best for you." Widening her eyes, she mouthed the words, "John Zacchara." Kate raised a question with her eyebrow. Quickly, Diane took out a pen and scribbled a note on a napkin. Immediately afterward, she began wildly tugging at her ear. "Oh no. Oh crap. I lost one of the diamond earrings Max bought me for Christmas. He doesn't know I found them. I'm not even supposed to have them on. He's going to be so angry with me."

"Where do you think you lost it?" Alexis managed to bring her attention back to her table companions.

"By the door or by the bar, I might have even left it the bathroom. Alexis, do me a favor and check by the door. Kate, you check the bar and I'll check the bathroom." Dutifully, Alexis headed toward the door. As soon as she was gone, Diane slipped the note into Kate's hand and told her to give it to the bartender.

A few moments later, when Johnny opened the napkin brought to him by the bartender, he was surprised to read _Meet me under the mistletoe_ obviously scrawled in a woman's hand. He spotted some hanging mistletoe by the door and noticed a dark-haired woman that looked like former D.A. Davis. This woman, whoever she was, wasn't waiting in some come-hither pose; instead, she was crouched down and appeared to be looking for something.

"Hey son, do you take requests?" An older man approached the piano. "It's my anniversary. The wife and I have been together 35 years."

"Actually, I don't work here." The man's face was kind and Johnny knew he couldn't refuse. Still, the note had made him curious. "But I'll tell you what. If you give me five minutes to answer a beautiful woman's request, I'll play whatever you want."

"It's a deal," the man grinned.

Johnny moved across the room growing more intrigued as he determined the woman by the door was, in fact, Ms. Davis, the mother of Sonny's only daughter and his niece. He reached her just as she stood; she bumped into him in the process. He steadied her by her shoulders. "Ms. Davis?"

"Hi." Alexis's eyes widened. She'd practically knocked over Johnny Zacchara, whom she'd spent half of the evening watching. And he was now holding her by her shoulders. Looking up, she took in his dark eyes and his young Brando-esque good looks.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Uh…no, I mean what gave you that idea?"

"Your note." Pulling out the napkin, he handed it to her.

Suddenly, as she read ""_Meet me under the mistletoe,"_ which was clearly written in Diane's handwriting, she was completely mortified. Across the room, she saw Diane and Kate purposely trying to avoid her gaze. "Mr. Zacchara…"

"John."

"John. I'm afraid you are the victim of a scheme planned by my two friends over there. Apparently, they've decided to spice up my love life by tricking me into a kiss with a handsome younger man." Alexis felt herself blush as she realized she was flirting with this man she hardly knew. She dropped her head. "Instead, it has resulted in my utter and complete humiliation." She turned to leave, stopping only when she felt his hand on her forearm.

"Ms. Davis…"

"Alexis, please." Given the circumstances they might as well be friendly.

"Alexis, I just refused that nice man's request." He nodded his head in the man's direction. "He wanted me to sing a song for his wife, but I told him I needed to come see you first. I am going to look like a jerk if I walk away without kissing you under the mistletoe." Johnny wasn't typically so forward, but for the first time in years, he felt completely alone. Something in him couldn't pass up the opportunity for human contact or to have something or rather someone that belonged to Corinthos. "Besides, you don't want to let your friends down, do you?"

"Uh…" Alexis tried to mask her shock. "No?" she questioned more than agreed.

Johnny positioned his body close to hers. He cupped her face in his hands and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. Leaning closer to her face, a slight smile broke from his mouth as he observed the look on her face that could only be described as something akin to a deer in headlights. Softly, he brushed her lips as he planted a chaste kiss on her mouth.

"Thanks." He smiled.

"Anytime…." Alexis chuckled softly when she realized her faux pas, "I mean you're welcome." As soon as Johnny walked away, she headed for the coatroom.

Once more, Johnny took a seat at the piano. His eyes searched the room for Alexis, but he soon discovered she was gone. The older gentleman approached him once more. "Can you sing _Someone to Watch Over Me_?"

"Yeah, sure." Ironically, it had been one of the favorite songs of his childhood housekeeper.

"You're a real stand up guy. But can I give you a word of advice?"

"Sure." Johnny wrinkled his brow.

"Next time, go after the girl."


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi all. This one explores the existing Sexis friendship and the budding Johnny and Alexis friendship. I hope you enjoy and as always reviews are appreciated._

Chapter 2 – You Gotta Have Friends

Greystone always reminded Alexis of a modern version of Wyndemere. While it was true the walls were made of wood and not stone, there was an underlying coldness about the place. So, it surprised Alexis when she saw the place had obviously met with a woman's touch. There were green swags of pine over the fireplace and the mantle and candles on the end tables. She expected to find Olivia Falconeri or some other soon to be Corinthos-conquest as she entered the living room; however, she was more surprised to find John Zacchara standing near the fireplace with a lost look in his eyes.

Alexis's heart went out to him as she considered how hard it must have been for him to be summoned to the home where his sister spent the last years of her life in a loveless marriage. She'd heard all of the "Claudia-is-a-monster" stories; however, she knew from experience that when you loved someone, it didn't matter how bad everyone else said he or she was.

"Miss Davis, we meet again." Johnny gave her a half-smile.

Something about the younger man's smile made her feel slightly embarrassed, particularly as she remembered the sweet kiss he'd given her the night before. "Please call me Alexis." With her eyes, she studied his face. Before she could stop herself, she asked, "Is it hard for you to be here?" No sooner than she saw the surprised look on his face, she blurted, "Wait, you don't have to answer that."

"Actually, you're the only person who's asked me…and it is."

"Then what are you doing here on Christmas Eve?"

"Duty calls."

"As if perfectly on cue, Sonny entered the room with Michael, Morgan, Kristina, Molly…and Olivia Falconeri in tow.

"Hey," Sonny moved toward Alexis. "Didn't you get my message?"

"Message?" Unable to focus, Alexis glanced over her shoulder at Olivia who seemed to have trouble deciding on whether to look at Johnny or Sonny.

"Yeah," Sonny smiled. "Me and Olivia are going to whip up a big Christmas Eve dinner. I called to see if the girls could stay a little later."

Alexis looked at the sad expression on John's face. "Sonny, can I see you in the kitchen for a minute?"

"You want to go into the kitchen? Is that ever a good idea?" Sonny chuckled at the joke he made.

"Ha, ha! Now, please." Sonny followed obediently as Alexis headed to the kitchen.

As soon as Sonny and Alexis left the living room, Olivia headed straight for Johnny. "Johnny, it's not how it looks. Sonny asked me to come here to discuss Metro Court business. I had no idea…"

Johnny looked at Sonny's kids before turning his attention back to Olivia. "Olivia, this is neither the time nor the place to talk about this. Honestly, it's been a rough couple of months and I'm tired. You want to be with Sonny. Be with him. I told you the other night, I'm done." Johnny walked away from Olivia toward one of the few visible windows.

Molly grabbed a candy cane from her uncle's tree and followed two steps behind Johnny. She could tell he was sad and since she saved his life weeks earlier, she sort of felt responsible for him. "Candy cane?" she offered.

"What's this for?" Johnny asked.

"So you won't be sad. It's Christmas and no one should be sad on Christmas."

"Thanks Molly…I'm beginning to think you're my guardian angel."

Away from prying eyes, Sonny prepared for the fight. "Look, what's the big deal? It's a couple of hours. I'll have Johnny bring the girls home." He noticed Alexis remained uncharacteristically silent and instead was preoccupied with looking inside cabinet doors. "Alexis, what are you doing?"

"Looking for the dog with the antlers glued to its head."

"What are you talking about?"

"Isn't that what the Grinch uses to pull his sleigh?" Alexis placed her hands on her hips. "And since you, my dear friend, clearly are the Grinch, the dog must be somewhere."

"Again, what are you talking about?"

"That young man in there just lost his sister and his girlfriend…and you've played a part in both losses. Now, you're rubbing his nose in the Olivia thing."

"I didn't know you and Johnny were so close."

"We're not. I don't even know him…not really. I interrogated him once and I saw him defend Spinelli another time." She opted to leave out the information about their kiss the night before. "But Sonny," she touched his arm. "I know you. You like to win. You took Olivia away from him…or you're about to. And you want to rub his face in it. I get that. But it's Christmas. Have a heart."

"I have important work for Johnny."

"What? Driving the girls home?" His silence provided the answer to her question. "You're better than this. We've both been there. We've both lost people we've loved."

Sonny hated that Alexis knew him so well. "Fine."

"Oh goody, you do still listen to me sometimes. You know, when you choose not to be a jerk, it actually makes your employees more loyal to you. I would think that you'd place a high importance on loyalty in your line of work."

"And how would you know that?"

"I'll have you know I've watched the Godfather…many times."

Sonny smiled before he shoved his hands in his pocket. "You know, with you giving me all this advice, it sounds like you want to be my consigliore again."

"Um, no thanks. By the way, I was never your consigliore. I was your attorney."

He smiled as he decided he wouldn't tease her too much. "True. Want to come back as my attorney? Diane is great, but you're the best."

"No thanks. We're good." Alexis turned to leave.

Sonny touched her arm. "Since you're here, I might as well give you your Christmas present." He handed her the large box that had been sitting beneath a chair in the kitchen. He watched as she opened it to reveal a coffeemaker. "This one is so easy _even you_ can make a good cup of coffee. You just drop in a coffee pod and add water."

"I thought you liked my coffee."

"I liked your company. Your coffee I hated."

"Whatever," Alexis chuckled before she socked him in the arm. "Jerk."

The two reentered the room and Alexis felt Olivia burrowing holes through her with her eyes. Sonny, carrying Alexis's new coffeemaker, looked at Johnny. "Johnny, why don't you carry this to Ms. Davis's car and then knock off for the next two days. Turns out I don't need you to work."

"Whatever you want boss."

Johnny remained silent on the way to Alexis's car. After putting the coffeemaker in her trunk, he smiled at her. "Why do I think you had something to do with my impromptu vacation?"

"Figment of your imagination." She flashed her dimples, which did not appear go unnoticed by Johnny. Although she'd freed him from Sonny's, she was still worried about him. "John, if you're not busy tomorrow, why don't you stop by for Christmas dinner?"

Johnny wrinkled his brow. "Not that I'm complaining, but we hardly know each other. Why are you inviting me to dinner?"

"Because I've been where you are and it sucks."

Johnny didn't want anyone pitying him, and yet, he wasn't sure that what Alexis offered was pity. "I don't know…best I can do is maybe."

"Maybe it is," Alexis patted his forearm. When she was able to feel the muscle beneath his leather jacket, she was pleasantly surprised. She wrote down her address and slipped it into his palm before she hopped in her car.

The next day, while Alexis's three daughters set the dinner table aided by Max and Coleman, Diane and Kate hounded Alexis about Johnny Zacchara.

"So, have you figured out a way to run into that delicious John Zacchara again?" Diane whispered.

"Shh…" Alexis glared at her. "I ran into him at Sonny's yesterday."

"Ooh, do tell," Kate gasped.

"You can both relax, he's not interested." Alexis frowned a little before adding, "Not that I wanted him to be interested. I do, however, think he needs a friend."

"Hmm…a friend," Diane said "friend" in a way that made it sound more salacious than it should have. "Friends are nice…particularly, friends with benefits."

"Diane, I'm serious. Unfortunately, I can understand exactly what he's going thr--" Alexis's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.

"Hold that thought," Diane hopped up and opened the door to find none other than Johnny Zacchara on the opposite side of the door. She called out, "Alexis, your _buddy_ is here."

After an awkward greeting in which Alexis repeatedly assured Johnny that he was a welcome guest, he fit into the fold quite nicely. He ignored the quizzical expression on Sam's face and her attempts to get Alexis alone to find out what he was doing there. He and Max talked sports instead of work and he and Coleman talked music. He helped with dishes and pulled out chairs for Alexis and her friends. He even played card games with Molly and Kristina after dinner.

At the end of the evening after everyone, including Sam had gone. Johnny lingered behind. While Molly and Kristina telephoned their fathers in the kitchen, Johnny approached Alexis. "Alexis, if it's okay with you…I have something I want to give Molly. She saved my life and for some reason she's always got my back. A couple of months ago, I saw this locket and I bought it for my sister. I haven't had the heart to take it back. It would mean a lot to me if I could give it to Molly."

"Is that okay with you Molly?" Alexis had seen Molly enter the room, but she didn't have the heart to interrupt John while he was speaking.

"Yes!" Molly squealed. She ran to where Johnny and Alexis stood and accepted the box he now held in his hand. "It's beautiful!" Her voice rose with excitement. "Thank you so much Johnny."

"I couldn't give this to just anyone." He looked at the smiling girl. "Do you mind that it was originally supposed to be for Claudia?"

"No, I liked Claudia. She was always nice to me when was at Uncle Sonny's. Besides, mom always says sometimes decent people make bad choices…kind of like when my sister, Sam, slept with my dad."

"Molly!" Alexis chided. "Where did you hear that?" She realized she probably didn't want to hear the answer to her own question. "Nevermind. Say goodnight to John."

"Goodnight Johnny. By the way, there's mistletoe by the door if you want to kiss my mom." Molly skipped into the kitchen.

Johnny and Alexis stood awkwardly by the door as he put on his coat and the new scarf Alexis had given him. She'd purchased it the day before on her way from Sonny's in case John decided to come for dinner. Before she could stop herself she tied his scarf into a neat loop.

"Thanks." He smiled at her. "I had a good time."

"I'm glad you came."

"Me too." He looked at the mistletoe by the door. "This must be what Molly was talking about."

"Yep…more than a little awkward."

"You did say I could kiss you under the mistletoe anytime." He noticed Alexis turned three shades of purple and so, he simply kissed her on the cheek. "Goodnight Alexis."

"Night John." She closed the door behind him. Leaning her back against the door, she closed her eyes and muttered, "So sexy…but such a bad idea." She allowed herself a smile at the thought before she headed into the kitchen to be with her girls.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hi all, here's the third chapter. Things are moving along with Johnny and Alexis…but slowly. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy. Everyone please be safe on New Year's Eve and into the New Year._

**Chapter 3- New Friends for a New Year**

"Mom, why was Johnny Zacchara at your house yesterday?" Sam asked no sooner than Alexis walked into her apartment.

"Hi Mom, how are you? I'm fine." Alexis teased before she flopped on Sam's sofa. "Anyway, if you must know I invited John over--"

"Oh, it's John, is it?" Sam eyed her mother as she waited for a reaction.

"Do you want me to answer your question or not?"

Sam smiled at the evidence of the first crack. "Go on."

"Look Sam, now is a really bad time for John right now. Given everything that's happened with Claudia and now Olivia…I was just trying to be compassionate."

"Compassionate, huh? It has nothing to do with the fact that he's hot."

"He is?" Alexis looked away. "I hadn't noticed."

"And he obviously likes you."

Alexis began to squirm. "I hardly know him."

Sam plopped beside her. "Mom, you're a beautiful woman. Why wouldn't he like you?" She paused.

"Sam, he's your age." Alexis's voice rose.

"Actually, he's probably younger, which is fine. You should have a hot, younger guy. I just want you to be careful." Sam brushed Alexis's hair behind her ear. "Johnny gets into fights, he works for Sonny and he might not be completely over Olivia."

"I don't know why you're telling me this. I'm not interested in John Zacchara." Alexis threw her hands in the air.

"If you're not yet, you will be. Johnny's a little dangerous and that's totally your type." Sam looked at the horrified look on Alexis's face. "Mom relax, I think Johnny is a good guy. Even Jason likes him."

"Gosh, that's comforting." Pulling her hands tightly through her hair, she released it after a deep sigh. "Can we talk about something else?" Alexis smiled before she touched her girl's face. "Like how much you remind me of your Aunt Kristina?"

Sam snuggled into her mom's body, which was something she generally did only when her younger sisters weren't around. "I love you."

"Love you, too."

_Sam didn't need to tell me to be careful; I already know John is a bad idea, _Alexis thought to herself before she entered Kelly's. Whenever she needed to think, which was fairly regularly, she craved Mike's famous chocolate chip cookies and a large cup of milk. After greeting Mike warmly, she asked for the usual. Mike presented the mother of his only granddaughter with a plate of his finest chocolate chip cookies. With every bite, Alexis closed her eyes and enjoyed the taste of the sumptuous chocolate. Completely unaware she had done so, she moaned as she lost herself in the ecstasy of a homemade chocolate chip cookie. "Mike, this is amazing." She spoke the words out loud, although she was almost certain he couldn't hear her.

"Wanna share?"

After the night before, she recognized John's voice before she turned around. "Hi," she squeaked.

"Hi yourself." He stared intently at her mouth, the source of the moans he'd heard minutes before. Though it clearly made her uncomfortable, he couldn't help himself. When he spotted a blob of chocolate at the corner of her mouth, he swiped at it with his finger then stuck his finger in his mouth. "Yummy."

Not only did Alexis's breath hitch, but she also felt a chill run up her spine. _Get a grip,_ she screamed in her mind. She needed a witty comeback. She decided on, "Are you sure you should have done that? You have no idea where my mouth has been." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them.

Johnny smiled. He knew flirting with Alexis Davis was dangerous simply because of her relationship with his boss and because he wasn't sure how much that very relationship played into his newfound attraction to her. Still, he couldn't help himself. "I don't know, after about 11:30 two nights ago, I started keeping a closer eye on your mouth. There are a few hours that I can't account for, but if you want I'll pay closer attention in the future."

Alexis felt her face flush. John caught her off guard with his reply; and so, she did the only thing a mature, mother of three could do: she yelled, "Stop flirting with me." Then she covered her face with her hands and hid.

"Okay, okay," Johnny chuckled. _Why hadn't he noticed she was adorable before?_ "But if you don't take your hands away from your eyes, you can't see the present I brought you."

"You mean you didn't run into me by coincidence?" She slid her hands from her face. Secretly, she was thrilled that he'd actually sought her out.

"Nah, I wanted to thank you for having me over yesterday. It turned out to be a better Christmas than I expected. " From behind his back he pulled a small vase of delicate pink and purple flowers.

"Flowers? Don't tell me you're the kind of guy that gives flowers. The only man who liked to give me flowers was…never mind." When she noticed the perplexed look on John's face, she stopped herself. "Thank you. They're lovely."

"The florist said, sweet peas meant 'thanks for a nice evening.'" He paused. He had an idea, but he wasn't sure how she would respond, particularly after her reaction to the flowers. "Do you want to catch a movie or something tomorrow?"

_Is he asking me out? Thirty seconds after he gives me flowers? I have to put a stop to this. _"John, I hope I haven't misled you, but I'm not interested in pursuing a romantic relationship. I was only offering my friendship."

"I'm not interested in a romantic relationship, either." _At least he didn't think he was. It was really too soon after the breakup with Olivia. _ "Friends go to movies together, right?"

"Yessss…" she said, hesitantly.

"I'll let you pick the film and you can even bring Molly and Morgan."

Alexis crinkled her nose. _"Maybe?"_

"Maybe it is…Buddy." He smiled and then he poked her in the arm before he left.

Neither Johnny nor Alexis were particularly surprised when Alexis ultimately agreed to take the kids to the movies. What both surprised and relieved Alexis was that Carly didn't ask her why she was taking Molly and Morgan to the movies with John Zacchara. The funny thing was she and John never actually made it into the movies. Molly said that the only film she really wanted to see was _the Princess and the Frog_ and she was certain Johnny and her mom would be bored out of their minds. So, she suggested they hang at the food court in the mall while she and Morgan saw the movie.

John and Alexis chatted while sipping McDonald's milkshakes. Initially, their conversation began in a light-hearted fashion. Alexis mentioned how she always seemed to have car trouble; John mentioned how he was good at fixing cars. Then they turned to the subject of family. Alexis spoke of how she lost her sister a short time after they'd been reunited.

"What separated the two of you in the beginning?"

Alexis smiled the way she often did when she tried to hide her pain. "Well, while my stepmother was slitting my mother's throat in front of me, my sister was taken away and given to other less crazy people to raise." When Johnny just stared at her, for a full minute, she sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you off."

"You didn't." He took a deep breath. "My father killed my mother in front of me…and it's…I've never met anyone else who could understand what it was like to grow up after that."

She took his hand and held it, which didn't go unmissed by Molly as she and Morgan approached the table. "Hi Mom," she grinned. Alexis quickly let go of Johnny's hand. "How was the movie?"

"It was so cool. Princess Tiana was just like you. Hardworking, independent and afraid of love."

"Sorry I asked," Alexis mumbled. "Morgan?"

"It was cool." Morgan Corinthos knew how to get on his cousin's good side, "The prince liked to sing and he played and instrument. You play an instrument, don't you Johnny?"

Before John could answer, Alexis stood to move the kids toward the mall exit. "Okay, Aphrodite and Cupid, lets move it."

As the next several days passed, Alexis found she could not get John off of her mind. He was so different from the cool he exuded. During his short life, he'd experienced more than men twice his age. And he was charming. She was so engrossed in her thoughts, she hadn't heard Diane come in."

"Are you happy that you've reduced me to begging?" Diane bowed before Alexis dramatically. "Please, please join my firm."

Alexis looked at Diane blankly. She hadn't even heard her come through her own door. And she certainly hadn't given her key. "Did you say something?"

"What's got you so preoccupied? Is it a certain someone with whom we spent Christmas?"

"Diane," Alexis protested. "Please don't start with the John Zacchara comments."

"Have you run into him again?"

Alexis remained silent as she prayed for a distraction. The doorbell answered her prayers, until she realized John was on the other side of the door. "Is this a bad time?" he'd asked. _The worst possible time, _she thought as she remembered Diane was in her living room. "No, come in."

"Tomorrow night is New Year's Eve. " He glanced at his feet because he knew Alexis would prefer not to have this discussion in front of Diane. He was also afraid that if he didn't just blurt it out, he'd lose his nerve. "Do you want to go to the Haunted Star…with me?"

"She does." Diane answered before Alexis could speak. "Pick her up at 8."

Before Johnny knew what happened Diane had pushed him outside of the door. Part of him wanted to knock on the door to make sure Alexis was really going to go with him.

Alexis tried to protest to Diane; however, Diane paid zero attention. Instead, Diane called Kate who arrived with a slew of next season's dresses within the hour. Diane, Kate and Molly settled on a one shouldered, black dress that stopped at her calves. Alexis was certain that if Kristina or Sam had been there, they would have had opinions as well.

Johnny arrived at Alexis's house promptly at 8 p.m. Kristina was with Keifer and Molly was spending the night with the Jacks's, so the two found themselves alone. The sight of John in a dark suit and dark shirt made Alexis smile. She expected his collar would be open, but he surprised her by wearing a tie. She noticed the white paper bag in his hands.

"Wow," he was the first to speak, "you look great." To Johnny, Alexis was beautiful on any day of the week, but tonight, she looked spectacular.

A blush crossed her cheeks. "You're not so bad yourself…What's in the bag?"

"I learned my lesson about the flowers, so I brought chocolate chip cookies."

Alexis's smile spread from ear to ear. "John, you sure know how to start off an evening." Remembering her empty house, she grabbed him and headed out of the door.

At the Haunted Star, Luke Spencer greeted Johnny and Alexis as the Mafia Prince and the Cassadine Princess, which made them both cringe a little. The two took a seat at a table in a secluded corner. They drank champagne and talked about their wayward siblings, Stefan and Claudia. When it became apparent that the champagne was going to Alexis's head, Johnny led her to the dance floor. They danced slowly and quietly, uttering only a few words here and there. Soon, they heard the other party goers begin to count, "10, 9, 8."

"Although, I respect that you only want to be my friend," Johnny began. The voices continued to echo behind him, "6, 5." He continued, "Tonight I think I should…"

"John," Alexis interrupted.

"Yeah?" He asked as the crowd continued their count, "3, 2…"

As the crowd reached, "one," Alexis said, "Just shut up and kiss me already."

"My pleasure," Johnny inched his face closer to hers until their mouths met. He hesitated for a moment before he touched her lips with his own. It pleased him when he felt her kiss him back. He wanted more, but now was not the time for tongues. She'd been drinking, they were out in public and she'd said she only wanted his friendship. After their kiss, however, something told him that time for more would come. As they moved apart, he touched her cheek with his hand.

This time, she was the first to speak. In a whisper-soft voice, she said, "Happy New Year, Buddy."

His voice graveled, "Happy New Year, Alexis."


	4. Chapter 4

_Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you are all having success with your resolutions. So sorry that this chapter has taken so long, but I just couldn't force it out of me for a while. There's quite a bit of fluff, but the hurdles against JoLexis will grow proportionately with their feelings. Hope you enjoy. As always replies are appreciated._

Chapter 4 – Mafia Chitchat

Alexis had almost entered Kelly's undetected. She'd been trying to keep a low profile ever since she'd had too much champagne and publicly kissed John Zacchara on New Year's Eve. She'd reminded herself almost daily that her attraction to John was inappropriate; still, she'd thought of no one else in the two subsequent weeks since their kiss. He'd called her and invited her to dinner…twice. Each time she'd found an excuse to politely decline. Although she still believed they had the potential to be friends, friendship with John was a path she dare not travel until she got her emotions under control. As a result, she'd made sure not to frequent places where she knew John hung out. She could have avoided him this time as well, if Diane hadn't seen him and flagged him over.

"Alexis Davis," Johnny stretched her name like a sweet piece of taffy. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were avoiding me."

Before Alexis could speak, Diane cut her off. "Of course she isn't." Diane extended a hand. "Johnny, what a lovely surprise to see you here." Diane practically sang her greeting. It was hard for Diane to sound surprised when she'd orchestrated the entire meeting. "Alexis and I were just about to have breakfast, would you care to join us?"

"Only if Alexis doesn't mind."

"She doesn't." Diane answered for her once more.

Alexis sighed. "It's fine."

Johnny followed Diane and Alexis to a table near the door. Diane waited for both Johnny and Alexis to sit and then quickly disappeared to the counter where Alexis was sure she was flirting with Mike.

"So," Alexis looked around nervously, "this is some coincidence…the two of meeting at breakfast."

"No, it's not." John chuckled. "Diane told me you were going to be here this morning."

The truth refocused Alexis. "She what?"

Johnny continued to smile as he watched her reaction. "You see, when I explained that my feelings were hurt because I never figured you for the kind of woman to kiss me then ditch me, she felt sorry for me."

"I wasn't ditching you." Alexis sighed. "I just got a little freaked out after you kissed me in public."

"I'm confused because if I remember correctly, you begged me to kiss you."

Alexis's face turned several shades of red. "I did not. Did I?"

"No, but you suggested strongly." He teased her once more.

"Why are you laughing? I have my reputation to consider. I'm the former DA and a mother of two impressionable girls. There's no way I should have been kissing you in public."

"I see." He leaned back in his chair. "So, you got freaked out because someone might have seen you kissing a Zacchara?"

"John, this has nothing to do with you being a Zacchara and everything to do with your age." Alexis felt the blush flood her cheeks. "What are you 12?"

"I'm old enough to know that I enjoy spending time with you. So, what's the problem?"

"I shouldn't be kissing you."

"Give me one good reason why."

As Alexis pondered John's question, the best reason of all approached their table: Sonny Corinthos. Diane was on his heels. After all these years, Sonny was still handsome…even the very first thing in the morning. And as she looked between he and John, she wondered what this thing was that she had with gorgeous gangsters. "Morning 'Lexis."

"Good morning Sonny. We were just talking about you." Alexis winked at Johnny before she giggled. She watched as John responded with the crooked little smirk she secretly found sexy.

Sonny eyed them suspiciously. "Now Johnny, what I'm wondering is…why my employee and the mother of my daughter are having breakfast together. I didn't know the two of you were friends."

Diane grew irritated as she watched Sonny _mark_ his turf. "Sonny, you do know if you're going to limit Johnny to sharing meals with only the single women you haven't slept with that will leave him to dine with me and…wait, that will only leave me." She touched Johnny's shoulder. "What do you say, handsome? Lunch tomorrow?"

"Diane," Alexis muttered as she wondered if the situation could possibly be any more embarrassing. "You're not helping."

Sonny's eyes narrowed in on Alexis. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" He led her to the counter where they both took a seat. "Alexis, what are you doing? Having breakfast with Johnny Zacchara, have you lost your mind?"

Alexis took a deep breath. "John and I are friends."

"He's using you to get to me. You are Kristina's mother; you need to be more careful."

"Wow, I should have guessed John was using me. It's been about you with every man I've ever been with, isn't that right?" She scoffed at his arrogance. "It's a good thing you got me pregnant or else I'd never get a date." Turning on her heels, she marched back to the table where John and Diane sat. Though she saw their mouths moving, her fury at Sonny's arrogance kept her from hearing John and Diane's words. Somewhere mid-sentence, she interrupted John. "Do you want to come to my house for dinner tonight? Say 7 p.m.?"

"He'd love to." Diane exclaimed. "Now, Johnny, if you'll excuse us, Alexis and I are late for an appointment."

Alexis allowed Diane to lead her out of Kelly's. Stopping steps from the door she asked, "Where exactly are you taking me, Diane?"

"You have a sexy younger man coming to your house for dinner. It is time for an emergency spa day."

By the time six p.m. arrived, Alexis had been primped, pampered and poured into a black dress with a plunging neckline. She'd initially objected to the sexy nature of the dress, but Diane and Kate, whom she'd called 10 minutes after leaving Kelly's, insisted. Not only had Diane called Kate, but she'd called Sam and arranged for a sleep over with the girls. More than 20 times before the doorbell rang, Alexis convinced herself that dinner with John was a bad idea. The run-in with Sonny that prompted her to invite John over in the first place kept running through her mind.

Finally, at 7:05 p.m., the doorbell rang. With very measured steps, Alexis made her way to the door. She opened the door to reveal a very handsome John in a dark suit. When he saw her he smiled that crooked smile she was growing very fond of. She took a deep breath. "Hi…um, come in."

"Alexis, you look great." His eyes never left her as he walked through the door. When he awoke this morning, he never expected to spend the evening with Alexis Davis and certainly not in _that_ dress. "I'm surprised…"

Exhaling deeply she blurted, "Okay, I invited you to dinner because Sonny made me angry. While I wanted to have dinner with you, I had no plans to do so because I feel the difference in our ages is simply insurmountable. I mean… I have a daughter who is your age. Sam…not Kristina. Although, I think both Sam and Kristina might be embarrassed if you and I go running around town together. " She released another breath. "And no, I'm not still hung up on Sonny. I just get so sick of him marking his turf like a dog at a freaking fire hydrant."

Johnny went from being perplexed to being amused to being completely speechless. He removed his coat and after a minute or so, he was able to speak, "What I was going to say was I was that I was surprised that you invited me here for dinner. Some of the guys said you were culinarily challenged."

"Some of the guys?"

"Yeah, I asked some of the guys that worked for Sonny when you two were dating and they said from what they remembered you couldn't cook to save your life. There was a story about a kitchen fire at Sonny's place…the constant smell of burnt toast from your place…"

"Wait a minute, did you say when I was dating Sonny?" Alexis questioned as she wondered why the thought irritated her. "Sonny and I never dated. Kristina resulted from a one-night lapse in judgment."

"That's not what I heard. Word on the street is that he spent the night at your place plenty of times before you got pregnant. I also heard the two of you had dinner together almost every night for months and that you vacationed together in Puerto Rico. If that ain't dating, I don't know what is."

"Word on the street?" She sighed before she sank into the sofa. John immediately joined her. He sat closer than she'd anticipated and it made her very nervous. Half-afraid that he'd hear the rapid beating of her heart, Alexis scooted two inches away from John. "You have no idea how discomforting it is to find out that I am the subject of chitchat amongst Sonny's henchmen."

"Relax," he stretched the word over his lips. "The guys aren't talking about you. I did some asking around."

"You asked Sonny's guys about me? Why?"

"Because I wanted to know if you were still carrying a torch for Sonny." Johnny searched her eyes with his. He thought he heard his own voice crack as he began to speak, "Look, I have no desire to date another woman who actually wants to be with Sonny."

Alexis was shocked by his directness. This boy…this _man_ did not play games. "Sonny and I are friends and co-parents…that's all. We were best friends once and then we mucked it all up by sleeping together. It took us a long time to get back what we lost and neither of us wants to ruin it again." She thought she saw him relax a bit. "Besides," she teased him, "you and I aren't dating. I thought we agreed to be friends?"

In one fluid move, he was closer to her again. "Well _buddy_, what if I don't want to be _just_ your friend?"

Though her mind screamed run, there was something about the way John looked at her that filled her with an unusual mixture of calm and excitement. As a result, for the second time in her life, she decided to ignore her thoughts and go with her feelings. "Well," she took a deep breath, "if that's the case, I guess you should probably kiss me."

As Johnny moved into kiss her, he marveled at how she'd just surprised him. As he kissed her, he did his best to control himself. He suspected that if he moved too fast, she'd run for the hills. Even still, while he kissed her, he enjoyed the feel of his hands tangled in her hair and the curve of her back. Soon, he pulled away from her. He touched her cheek. "After you spent all that time cooking, we should probably eat."

Dinner was the last thing on Alexis's mind, but she knew John was slowing things down, which was a good thing…probably. After they ate, John raved about the delicious meal _she'd_ prepared. She knew she needed to make one more confession. "John, there's something you should know. I didn't cook dinner; I picked it up from Pozzulo"s (Sonny's restaurant)."

"I know." Johnny laughed, "Milo told me he saw you there earlier." She punched him in the arm and he pretended to be wounded. "Ouch."

"You knew all along?"

He chuckled. "What can I tell you? Henchmen talk."


	5. Chapter 5

_Hi all, I'm back. A little more happy Jolexis before Sonny starts being, well Sonny, next chapter. Hope you enjoy this one. I'll try not to take so much time to post the next one. As always, replies are appreciated._

Chapter 5 – Going Public

Alexis entered the kitchen with John following a few steps behind. At Molly's suggestion, she'd invited him to dinner with her, Molly and Morgan. Molly claimed it was because she and Morgan wanted to say thanks for taking them to the movies, even though they'd gone almost two months before. She knew her baby girl was playing matchmaker, but she didn't mind. She'd "hung out" with John a few times since her run in with Sonny at Kelly's and she found she generally enjoyed his company. He wasn't a bad kisser either. "John, I'll wash the dishes and you dry, okay?"

Johnny could feel himself smiling and still he couldn't stop. He felt content for the first time in months.

"Now what is it about drying dishes that makes you so happy?" Alexis hadn't missed the smile on John's face. He often broken into smiles that made it seem as though he was privy to an inside joke that had yet to be told. Still, after spending the evening with her, Molly and Morgan, she was convinced it something else that had him smiling.

"I was just thinking that I like it when you're bossy."

"I'm not bossy." Alexis slammed her hands on her hips and pretended to pout. After a few seconds she asked softly, "Am I?"

Johnny laughed. "Let's see. One of the first times I remember being around you was at Wyndemere when my father was running around terrorizing people. I heard this blood-curdling scream. Lulu and I ran downstairs to find out what was going on. You sent Lulu off to get help and you demanded I stay with you."

"My ex-husband had just been lanced!" She thought of Ric's last name and added, "Pardon the pun."

Johnny chuckled. "A lot of women would have liked that…especially given who your ex-husband is." He took in Alexis's expression, which was a cross between shock and amusement. "I didn't mind staying with you. You looked pretty hot in that strapless dress."

"So, maybe I was bossy that night." Alexis felt herself blush. "But that was one time and the circumstances were extenuating. You actually noticed the dress?"

"Yeah, and your date. I still can't believe you were there with Jerry Jacks. I'm not sure what surprised me more…that you were with Jerry Jacks or how hot you looked in that dress." He placed the plate on the drying rack and inched closer to her. "Ms. Davis you do like your bad boys, don't you? Sonny, Ric, Jerry…"

"Feel free to disappoint me…" she ran her hand along his forearm, before she added, "in that area." Something about John turned her into an outrageous flirt. Maybe it was the small voice in her head that constantly egged her on and distinctly sounded like Dianne. "Besides, one isolated incident does not prove I'm bossy."

"You've demanded that I kiss you almost every time we've ever kissed."

Alexis tried to maintain her cool, even though she felt the fire rise in her cheeks. "It's not my fault that you don't know how to take the initiative."

"Is that so?" Johnny placed both hands on her waist and pulled her close before he kissed her. "How's that for initiative?"

"My bad." Alexis quoted the teenagers she'd heard in her home when Kristina entertained. She allowed John to continue holding her in his arms. A chill ran up her spine as she noticed the crooked little smile that she found to be such a turn on.

Johnny thought he'd use their closeness as an opportunity to have a discussion he'd wanted to broach. "Speaking of taking the initiative…I should tell you that I think it's time we take things to the next level."

"John, should we be talking about this now? The kids are in the other room." Alexis turned away from him and toward the dishes.

"Relax, I just meant I think it's time you let me take you out in public." He wrapped his arms around her waist and snuggled his head into her hair. "Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with you and the various kids that make up your family. I never had any real family time growing up." He kissed her hair. "Still, I want to take you out and show you a good time."

She turned and found herself a little closer to John than she intended. "But if we have a good time here, why do we need to go out and about among the prying eyes of Port Charles." She leaned her head against his chest. "Do you really think it's a great idea to borrow trouble before we even know where this thing between the two of us is going?"

"Well, I know where I want us to go." He kissed her neck. "But where can it go if we can't even go out together? How much trouble can one night cause?"

"Let's see, your father may be upset when he finds out. I have an idea that the ideal woman for his son is not a former prosecutor who is old enough to be…"

"The very sexy star of one of his reoccurring fantasies." Johnny planted a tender kiss at her mouth.

"If the kids weren't out there, I'd ask you to tell me more."

Johnny smirked, "You'd probably demand it…Bossy."

At that she slugged him in the arm.

"Alexis, is this really about Sonny?"

Alexis started to speak, but stopped.

"Look, I don't want another relationship in my life to revolve around Sonny. For months, my relationship with my sister consisted of me listening to her figure out ways to win Sonny's respect or love or whatever it was she was after. Or it was about what Sonny was going to do when he found out her part her in Michael's shooting." He sighed, "Then there was Olivia. At first it was about her past with Sonny. Then I learned the past really wasn't the past at all." He thought about her revelation that Dominick Perelli was her son…with Sonny. "I've already lost too much because of Sonny. I need to know up front whether we should even give this thing between us a shot or whether it's already doomed because of Sonny."

"John, Sonny and I are friends…and co-parents. That's it." She walked away from him. "It's different than things were with him and Olivia. We have to interact because we share a child." She touched his cheek. "I'm also trying to spare you from the million small ways Sonny will make your life miserable. He's territorial about his children and their mothers. He threatened to kill Ric at least a half dozen times during our marriage."

"I can handle Sonny. Besides who hasn't wanted to kill Ric?" Johnny released a smile. "It's probably the only thing Sonny and I can agree on. He was an arrogant punk even when he was in law school."

"You knew Ric when he was in law school?"

"Yeah, my dad sent me to live with Trevor when I was kid. Ric came home on exactly one school break, mostly because Trevor got him a job with a big firm, and within the month he was sleeping with my nanny."

"You had a nanny when Ric was already in law school?" A flurry of numbers ran through her mind, which gave her John's approximate age. She smacked her hand over her face. "You're practically jailbait!"

"And you are skilled at changing the subject." Slipping his hand into hers and locking fingers, he stared at her for a moment. "What do you say we go out in public, like real couples do…and then, we can decide if we want to be a real couple?"

She looked at him, peered into his large, soulful eyes. He'd been so willing to take things slowly, for her sake, and all he was asking was for a meal in public. "I guess it's a date, then."

Alexis knew what she had to do before she stepped one foot into a restaurant with John. So, the next evening, she called a "family meeting" with her girls. Her voice quivered a bit as she spoke. Sam, Kristina and Molly each looked on tensely as she cleared her throat. "Girls, I need to talk to you about something that can affect our whole family. I'm not sure how you're going to feel about this, but…"

Sam was the first to speak. She practically had to force her voice up over the lump in her throat. "Mom, are you sick? Is it the cancer?"

"No, no, honey, I'm fine. It's just, the three of you know that John Zacchara and I have been friendly for a while."

Sam snorted at the word "friendly," only to have Alexis shoot her a Cassadine stare.

"Now, he wants to take me out…on a real date…in public. I need to know if it's okay with the three of you."

"That's it?" Sam barely reacted. "I already told you I was fine with you dating Johnny. You should have a good time with a man who is going to be nice to you. Still, I think you should be careful because Johnny can be a little reckless."

Molly began to gush. "This is so exciting. You and Johnny, lovers fighting against societal standards to be together."

"No one said anything about lovers, young lady. John and I aren't even sure if we're going to continue dating. " She glanced at Kristina who sat quietly with her arms wrapped around her middle. "Kristina, you haven't said anything. What do you think about me dating John?"

Johnny was a criminal, just like her dad, and worse yet, he was her sister's age.

Even still, Kristina reminded herself that her mom deserved to be happy. She shrugged it off. "Yeah mom, it's fine. Can I go now?" No sooner than Alexis nodded, Kristina headed up to her room.

Three days later, Valentine's Day, they had their first date. They decided on the Metro Court, not for Johnny to rub this thing with Alexis in Olivia's face, but at Alexis's request. She'd mentioned that whether or not Jax approved of their date, he'd happily toss Sonny out on his rear if he showed up to cause trouble.

After dinner, she teased him, "Way to pick a no pressure first date. Valentine's Day, seriously, John?"

Johnny laughed then signaled to a waiter who brought over a plate with a heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie in the center.

"You remembered." Alexis smiled then winked at him. She took a bite of the cookie then floated off to her happy place. Before she knew it, the cookie was gone.

"Wow, I gave her my heart and she devoured it. I hope this isn't a metaphor for our relationship."

Alexis gave him her best dimple-laced smile. "What if I promise to be more gentle with the real deal?"

"Lady, you got a deal." Johnny leaned over and planted a sweet kiss on her mouth. "So, do you think you handle this: you and me together out in public for all the world to see?"

"I think I can handle it." Alexis hadn't missed the few stares she'd gotten when they walked into the place. John had told her it was because she was the most beautiful in the room. She suspected it might have been due to their age difference. But sometime during dinner, she decided she didn't care. John was the most reasonable man she'd dated in years. He was gorgeous and charming. She wanted to give things between them a shot. What she didn't know was in other corners of Port Charles, questions were already being raised about how to put a stop to her relationship with John before it could get off the ground.


	6. Chapter 6

_Hi all, in honor of the JoLexis and Sexis scenes last week, I thought I'd better get another chapter posted. This is my attempt at throwing a little angst in the midst of JoLexis. Hang in there with me; things will get better before they get worse. ;) As always reviews are appreciated._

Chapter 6 - Complications

Alexis had been floating on air since her date with John the night before. In fact, both Kristina and Molly asked her several times that morning why she was either humming or smiling. He'd asked to see her that evening as well and she'd agreed to happily. She could barely concentrate on the contracts she'd agreed to review on Jax's behalf. From all appearances, John was exactly the kind of man she wanted…with the exception of his ties to organized crime. Her cell phone rang and reminded her that John wasn't the only one with ties to organized crime.

"Alexis Davis," she answered the way she always had.

"Hey, it's me. I need to see you right away." Sonny hung up the phone without waiting for answer. At first, he was furious when Carly reported that she'd heard Alexis and Johnny were on a date the night before at the Metro Court. If Johnny Zacchara thought he could take anything or anyone who belonged to him, he would make him Sorry for trying. Then Sonny came up with a plan; he would reason Alexis out of a relationship with Johnny. If that didn't work, he would insert himself so deeply in the middle of their relationship that Johnny wouldn't be sure whether he was dating him or Alexis.

Five minutes after hanging up with Alexis, Sonny checked the stove once more. Food was definitely the way into Alexis's good graces. Spaghetti Pomodoro was Alexis's favorite dish…at least, it was the favorite of the dishes he made for her years ago. She would be putty in his hands.

As soon as Alexis hung with Sonny, she called John. She was surprised when the call went to voicemail. She didn't know how long the Sonny drama would take and she didn't want him to keep his evening on hold. "Hi John, it's me. I'm afraid I have to cancel for tonight. I have Sonny drama. I'll talk to you soon."

Thirty minutes later, she arrived at Sonny's. "Sonny?" she called out as she entered Greystone. "Care to tell me what was so important that you needed me to drop everything and come over?" She stopped in her tracks when she saw Sonny holding two glasses of red wine. She knew something was off when he handed one of the glasses to her.

"I needed to talk to you about something. I thought it might be nice if we had a nice, friendly conversation like we used to."

"Oh no, this can't be good." She took a long sip, after which Sonny immediately took the glass from her hand.

"You keep drinking that you'll be drunk before dinner."

"You made dinner? For me? What did you do take out half of the five families?" She began to pace. "You do realize that I won't be using my connections in the DA's office to bail you out of trouble. Are my children in danger?" Alexis pulled out her Blackberry and began to dial Viola's number but she was interrupted when Sonny grabbed her phone.

"Breathe Alexis. Max is bringing Kristina and Molly here…and no they aren't in danger. I thought it would be nice if the four of us spent some family time together."

He was up to something and she just couldn't put her finger on it. "Family time? How much did _you_ drink before I got here?"

"Look, I think the girls could benefit from seeing us get along. I don't like that Keifer kid that Kristina is hanging out with and I think both Kristina and Molly could benefit from seeing the way a man should treat a woman. And I want to show them that I care for and respect their mother."

"You think Kristina and Molly can learn something by the way you treat a woman? Sounds like you had a whole bottle before I got here." Alexis couldn't quite put her finger on what Sonny was up to, but she knew he was up to something.

"I made Spaghetti Pomodoro."

"My favorite. Are you trying to poison me for sole custody of Kristina? It won't work, you know, I'm very resilient."

Sonny felt himself becoming frustrated. "Why do you have to be so difficult, 'Lexis? It's just a meal. We used to have dinner all the time."

Alexis dropped her head as she remembered just how close they used to be. "That was a long time ago."

"Did you fight John Zacchara this much about going to dinner."

The light bulb suddenly flashed in Alexis's brain. "So, that's what this is about. You heard about my dinner with John. You didn't have to go through all of this trouble though. I already know what you're going to say."

"You're a mind-reader now?"

"I don't have to be. I know you better than most people, Sonny. You don't like John. It's not enough that his sister is gone and you stole his girlfriend, you want him to be miserable, just so you know that he knows you won." Somewhere during the course of her response, she raised her voice more than she intended.

"I didn't know you felt so passionately about Johnny."

Alexis simply rolled her eyes at him. When Alexis didn't respond, Sonny added, "All I'm saying is he's a little young, don't you think?"

"He's older than Emily was when you started dating her…and Sam for the matter."

"Is he older than Sam is now?" Sonny knew the answer to his question; he just wanted to hear Alexis say it.

"Why do you care? It really isn't any of your business."

"How can you say it's not my business? Kristina is my daughter and I don't want the same thing happening with her as happened with Ric and Sam." He knew it was a low blow, lower than he intended, in fact. He could see she was visibly shaken.

"That's a low blow, even for you. We both know Johnny isn't Ric."

Kristina's voice interrupted their conversation before either could say another word. "Mom, are you okay?" She turned her fire on Sonny. "Dad, what did you say to upset her?"

Sonny shrugged, "I just asked her to stay for dinner."

Molly loved her Uncle Sonny; in fact, she loved everyone. So, it was no surprise that she asked excitedly if the four of them could have dinner together. What was surprising to both girls was when during dinner, Sonny began to reminisce about a time when he and their mother were best friends. She once nearly burned his apartment down when she decided to surprise him with breakfast. Then he spoke about Kristina, Alexis's sister, the girls' aunt. He was one of the very who still lived in Port Charles who'd spent any time with her.

Molly, who had been hanging on his every word, continued to egg him on. "What was Aunt Kristina trying to say when she was talking about monkeys?"

That I was in love with Sonny, Alexis thought to herself. "That's a story for another day, Molly."

Sonny graciously changed the subject. "Remember in Puerto Rico when we promised that we'd be friends to the end? We've lived up to that promise."

"We hit a few bumps, but I think even when we hated each other, we were still friends."

"I never hated you."

Alexis chuckled, "Right."

Kristina voice was soft as she spoke, "Did you guys ever love each other?"

Alexis felt the heat rise to her face. Kristina was treading into dangerous and unchartered territory. To Alexis's surprise, the next voice she heard was Johnny's. "I don't mean to interrupt your family moment, but…"

Molly flew to Johnny's side and surprised him with a hug. "Johnny you're not interrupting. Do you want to join us?"

"No, thanks Molly. I thought I had plans tonight." Johnny looked directly at Alexis as he spoke. "Sonny, can I see you for a second?"

Sonny nodded in response. He motioned toward the kitchen.

When they were out of earshot of Alexis and the girls, he said, "I stopped by to let you know that Dante and I handled that situation you wanted us to take care of." The situation was a shipment that arrived at the docks. Both he and Dante had hoped that it involved something illegal to add to the case Dante was building against Sonny, but much to their disappointment it had simply been cases of coffee beans.

"Yeah, Johnny that's great. But next time when you see me having dinner with _my _family, understand that business can wait and just walk away."

Alexis interrupted what looked like a tense conversation. "Sonny, the girls are getting impatient for another one of your stories."

"I'll be right there. Johnny and I are finished." Sonny turned and walked toward the dining room. "'Lexis, are you coming?"

"I'll be there in a second. I need to speak to John for a minute."

The last thing Johnny wanted was to fight with Alexis in Sonny's house. That wasn't true; the last thing Johnny wanted was to find was Alexis in Sonny's house in the middle of a family dinner discussing old feelings. He waited for her to explain it all away the way Olivia had done before. She didn't.

"Hi. Did you get my message?"

"Yeah, you mentioned you had Sonny drama, but you and Sonny looked pretty cozy in there."

She took a deep breath. "I couldn't have been less comfortable if I had been walking across hot coals in bedroom slippers. What's going on with you?"

"What's going on is that I can't do this again. "

"Do what?"

"Be involved with someone who ultimately is going to wind up with Sonny."

Alexis felt her face flush with anger. "What are you talking about? I suddenly want to be with Sonny because I had dinner with him and the girls? That's ridiculous."

"I don't want to argue about this here." Johnny didn't want to give Sonny the satisfaction.

"I don't want to argue about this at all." Alexis had no desire to have an argument with John in Sony's kitchen, either. She thought she could make him understand wh she ultimately caved. "Look, things have seemed a little off with Kristina, lately. I had the chance to give her dinner with both her parents where we didn't try to kill each other. Is that so terrible?"

"No. For Kristina's sake, I hope you have a lot of them. Just don't expect me to stick around while you do it." With that Johnny stormed out of the kitchen.

Alexis took a deep breath before she headed back into the dining room. She would call John and reason with him when she got home. Molly looked behind her for Johnny. "Mom, is everything okay with you and Johnny?"

Alexis looked to her right and noticed the smug look on Sonny's face. She would not give him the satisfaction of letting him know he had been successful in causing a rift between she and John. "Everything is fine, sweetie." She plastered a fake smile on her face and quickly changed the subject. "Sonny, is this a full service meal complete with dessert?"

"Do I do anything halfway?" He flashed a set of dimples that she immediately wanted to smack off the sides of his face. "How does crème brulee sound?"

"Sounds wonderful." She faked another smile.

That evening when Alexis returned home, she called John. She could hear the edge in his voice as soon as he answered. "Hi John, are you still upset about this evening? Honestly, I had no idea Sonny was planning to make dinner."

"Alexis, it's fine, but I meant what I said. I can't be in another relationship where Sonny is the focus."

"What are you saying?"

"I think it's best if we go back to being just friends."

Alexis was surprised at how much the thought saddened her. "If that's what you want…"

"It is."

"Then I guess I have to respect your wishes." Alexis hung up the phone and sank into her sofa. This is what she got for pursuing a relationship with a younger man. Clearly, John didn't understand the complexity of co-parenting with someone. She would consider it a lesson learned and she would never let it happen again.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hi all, here's chapter 7. Just a reminder, in this story, Johnny knows Dante is Sonny's son and a cop that is trying to bring him down, but Olivia is the only other person who knows that, too. Also, I know GH had written that during the lost Kristina years, she and Sonny didn't see each other, but in this story, Sonny was a little less absentee and he and Kristina have a decent relationship. Hope you enjoy and as always, replies are greatly appreciated._

Chapter 7 – Making up

Max Giambetti, generally stayed out of other's people's business, especially when it came to their romantic relationships. But right now, Johnny Zacchara was getting on his nerves. They'd spent the entire morning unloading one of Sonny's coffee shipments and Max had barely been able to get a word out of him. Grunts and shrugs substituted for yes's and no's. Max knew the cause: Alexis Davis. According to his own ladylove, Diane, Johnny had been avoiding Alexis for a week now. Of course the boss was to blame; he generally was when it came to the relationships involving his former flames.

"How long are you going to mope around, instead of calling Alexis and working things out?"

"I don't want to talk about it." John slammed another bag of coffee beans on top of a large stack of bags.

"Fine, but you're being an idiot." Max cut open another crate.

"Why? Because I don't want to lose another woman to Sonny?"

According to Diane, Johnny freaked out because he saw Alexis and the girls having dinner with Sonny. He was sure the boss did everything possible to make it seem as something more than it was. Still, he wondered if Alexis wasn't tired of people saying she was carrying some sort of torch for the boss. "Alexis isn't interested in the boss."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I was there. The boss spent almost every night on Alexis's sofa…slept at her place more than his own. He listened to her. He got irritated if he didn't know where she was. When it turned out Alexis was pregnant, he was back with Carly, but he hadn't married her yet."

"So?"

"So, at the time the boss didn't have any biological children. He loved Michael, but Kristina was his firstborn. If Alexis wanted him, she could have told him she was pregnant and he would have dropped everything to be with her. Instead, she did her best to stay as far away from him as possible. After that, the boss changed. He got back with Mrs. C, but he was always on edge…kinda like you are now."

Johnny continued to stack bags of coffee while he processed, Max's words. "So, what are you saying? Sonny's the one who's hung up on Alexis?"

"I'm saying if I were you, I wouldn't let a good woman get away. I don't know what it is in this town that makes it possible for a bunch of guys like you, me and Coleman to end up with women like Diane, Kate and Alexis. But whatever it is, I'm not going to be the one who screws it up."

Back at the lakehouse, Diane was trying to reason with Alexis. She wasn't having much luck. "It was an argument, Alexis. You can get past it. All you have to do is head off to Johnny's with a bottle of champagne, wearing a trench coat and a g-string and he'll be putty in your hands."

Alexis shot Diane a dirty look. "Diane, really." Alexis rolled her eyes at her friend, "If our lives are totally incompatible then sex is a temporary fix. Besides, I don't even think I want to be involved with John."

Diane gave her a doubtful look.

"I'm serious. He's stubborn and cocky and hot-headed and…" Alexis began to pace as she tried to think of more of John's faults. "And he's connected!"

"Alexis, your daughter is dating Jason Morgan and you have children by both Sonny, the mob boss and Ric...who is, by the way, a second generation mob lawyer. No one in this town is more connected than you are."

Alexis glared at Diane. "I don't care what you say. I'm done. I'm too old for this…worrying about things I can't change. Sonny is Kristina's father AND he's Molly's uncle. He has relationships with them. I can't change that."

"No one is asking you to change that. Just be sensitive to what he's been through."

"I tried and now I'm done trying."

"Even if it costs you a great guy?"

"Great guy?" Alexis began to pace again. She was frustrated. She tried to explain to John that Sonny had sucked her in to having dinner with he and the girls and she simply complied because Kristina had seemed distant lately. But he was too bull-headed to listen. And he'd been avoiding her. "He's a jerk that won't listen to a word I have to say. He makes Sonny seem reasonable. I'm done. I don't care what you have to say."

Diane and Max had spent a lot of time talking about the situation. They desperately wanted the two to reunite. It was hard to find couples to hang out with…when they actually wanted to hang out with anyone at all. Until the blowout, they had a perfect group: three younger, "bad boys" who had connected with three career women who were best friends. Alexis would never date a guy who meshed with Coleman and Max the way Johnny did. Somehow, she'd managed to convince Max to encourage Johnny to swallow his pride and at least listen to what Alexis had to say.

Diane paved the way for what she hoped Max had been able to encourage. "Really? You mean if Johnny somehow realized he was wrong and apologized for being so hot-headed, you wouldn't listen?"

"First, it's not going to happen. Second, if John Zacharra came here and apologized, I'd throw him out on his self-righteous ass!"

"Well, I guess I underestimated how much Johnny had upset you."

"I guess now you know."

Less than 30 seconds later, the doorbell rang. When Alexis opened the door, all she was able to see was a bag of chocolate chip cookies with an arm attached to it. A second later, John appeared.

She motioned for him to come inside. "Oh look Diane, it's my other buddy." She motioned for him to come inside. "Maybe the three of us can head to the mall or play a couple of board games."

He held out the bag of cookies. "Peace offering?"

"Now, why would you need to bring me a peace offering? Is it because you stormed out on me without letting me explain? Or because you told me that you just wanted to be friends and then you refused to speak to me or take my calls?"

"Maybe I was just playing hard to get." And then there it was, that irritated smirk of his that she used to find attractive.

Though she'd wanted to be willing to accept John's peace offering, she'd suddenly found herself very annoyed. "Hard to get? Why don't you get lost?"

"How about I do this instead?" John placed his hands on the sides of her face and engaged her in a slow, sensual kiss.

After a moment or so, she took a step back. The kiss had thrown her. In fact, it shook her in ways and places she hadn't expected. She stared at him, as she tried to think her way through the situation. Then she did the unexpected, she stopped thinking and she moved to kiss him back. As they kissed, she felt him smile and she realized that this made her happy, too. Their kiss intensified as John's hands traveled to her lower back and pulled her body closer to his. For the first time, in what felt like ages, she actually felt alive. Again she took a step back and stared at John. What was it about this man that got to her?

"Well, that's my cue to leave," Diane announced loudly. As she passed Alexis, she couldn't help but tease her. She whispered in Alexis's ear, "Way to let him have it. Feel free to let him have a little more."

Alexis shot Diane a look as she watched her walk out of the door. She turned to discover John staring at her.

"It came to my attention that I may have overreacted." John kissed her again. After he and Max spoke, Johnny mulled the possibility that Sonny might care about Alexis. Whether he did or not, Sonny was making it clear that he would use any means necessary to come between. He enjoyed being with Alexis and he didn't want to lose her, not to Sonny or anyone.

"I should have been more sensitive. It's just that the idea of Sonny and me being together is so ludicrous; I didn't even consider that your feelings might be hurt by a simple dinner. I promise you it was really just two parents trying to be civil for the sake of their children."

"I trust you. If you tell me there's nothing between you and Sonny, I believe you. Given the whole Olivia situation that's hard for me to do." He took her hand and led her to the sofa. For a moment, they remained silent as they continue holding hands.

Alexis opened the bag from Kelly's and took a bite of her peace offering. "I'm glad you changed your mind."

"Me, too."

"Although…" She smiled at him and patted his cheek.

"Although what?"

"Diane almost convinced me to show up at your place wearing nothing but a g-string and a trench coat, just to get back in your good graces. Too bad you're so reasonable."

Without a word, Johnny stood up and acted as though he was heading to the door. Alexis still held his hand. "Hey, where do you think you're going?" she asked.

"I just remembered I'm still mad at you." He smirked, "Meet me at my place in 10 minutes. Oh yeah, don't forget your trench coat."

"Very funny." She pulled him back toward her and onto the sofa.

Once more he kissed her. "You taste like chocolate. " He thought for a minute. "I know I was only stupid for a week, but I missed you."

"I missed you, too." She tapped her finger against his nose. "So, where do we go from here?"

"Away," Johnny's voice rasped. "Let's get away from Sonny and Port Charles. Maybe we can take a romantic drive to the Falls…just the two of us."

Before Alexis could answer, Kristina and Molly bounced through the door. Molly greeted him excitedly. Kristina remained a distant. Molly monopolized John for another half hour, with talk of school and music. She even managed to make him promise to give her piano lessons. When it was time for him to head to Sonny's, Alexis walked him to the door.

Something about the way they held hands irritated Kristina. Plus, Kristina could have sworn she'd heard her Mom and Johnny talking about going away for the weekend. Why was it that her mom could give everyone but her dad a chance? Besides, Johnny was younger than Sam. Her mother would only wind up getting hurt, again. Kristina decided that she would use her mom's current distraction with Johnny to make a very important phone call.

She carefully dialed the number she knew by heart. "Dad, it's Kristina." Although she and her dad didn't always see eye to eye, she knew he loved her. And the way he'd looked after her mom during her divorce with Uncle Ric and her cancer treatment, she suspected he cared about her, too.

"What is it sweetheart?" He was more than a little alarmed.

"Can you come over now? I need you to stop mom from making a very big mistake."

"I'm on my way."


End file.
